1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display panel called a flat panel display (FPD) and an image display apparatus including the display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, development of image display apparatuses including display panels such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display (PDP), a field emission display (FED), and an organic electroluminescent display (OLED) has become more active.
As the thickness and weight of such an image display apparatus have been reduced, the distance between the display panel and an electric circuit board has become shorter, producing a tendency toward high heat-generation density. In addition, an increase in brightness of the display panel, for example, has produced another tendency toward an increased amount of heat generation. Consequently, temperature variation may occur in the display panel, producing thermal stress that may damage the display panel. To avoid this, exemplary apparatuses including configurations for releasing heat generated in the display panel are disclosed in Japanese Patents Laid-Open No. 2002-156913, No. 2004-333904, and No. 2008-292824.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-156913, a thermally conductive sheet, which is a silicon or carbon sheet, is provided between the rear of a PDP and a chassis. In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-333904, a PDP is secured at the rear thereof to a holding plate, which is made of aluminum or the like and has a heat dissipating function, with a plurality of linear thermally conductive members interposed therebetween, the thermally conductive members extending parallel to the gravitational direction. In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-292824, a chassis made of aluminum or the like and provided on the rear of a PDP is divided into a plurality of pieces, a lower one of the pieces having a convex shape covering a central portion of the PDP, an upper one of the pieces having a concave shape avoiding the central portion of the PDP.